Resources

Scholar Programs

Noble Consultation Program

Noble Foundation consultants work with farmers, ranchers and land stewards to improve their operational profitability and personal quality of life.

Noble Foundation consultants work with farmers, ranchers and land stewards to improve their operational profitability and personal quality of life.

Noble Foundation consultants work with farmers, ranchers and land stewards to improve their operational profitability and personal quality of life.

The Agricultural Division assists agricultural producers and land stewards in attaining their financial, quality-of-life and stewardship goals in an ever-evolving environment by educating and counseling them on the adoption of sustainable, research-proven practices.

This program is staffed by consultants with expertise in the following disciplines: forages, livestock, soils and crops, agricultural economics, horticulture, and wildlife and fisheries. Consultants work closely together - across these disciplines - to make recommendations that address each client's unique circumstances. Factors that influence these recommendations commonly include the type of land being managed, the skill set of the producer or land manager, and the specific goals the producer wishes to achieve. These consulting services are provided at no cost to program participants.

Recommendations from Noble Foundation specialists are based on an understanding of the participants' operations, skills and goals, and are successful only when there is active participation and interaction between the specialists and the participant. The specialists further require feedback and information from the participants to ensure that recommendations are appropriate to the participants' circumstances and the production environment. This feedback also can be used to measure the impact of these services. More so, the economic impact of the division's annual recommendations to regional agricultural producers is estimated at more than $15 million.

The division serves a 47-county area within a 100-mile radius of the Noble Foundation's headquarters in Ardmore, Okla. As shown below, this service area includes counties in both Oklahoma and Texas.

Program Eligibility/Requirements

(1) The land that is subject to the consultation services must be located within Noble's 47-county service area. There is no minimum and no maximum acreage required to participate in this program.

(2) Producers must actively participate and be willing to regularly share information with the assigned Noble Foundation consultation team regarding (a) operations, (b) operational goals, and (c) results and outcomes from implementing recommendations.

Participation in this consulting program requires a significant investment by both parties, including time, a commitment to enhancing the operations in accordance with the agreed upon goals and providing the required information and data to enable the appropriate delivery of service and informed recommendations. This data will be gathered through regular interactions as well as through an annual resource inventory from the producer to his or her consultation team.

Producer information is considered and treated as confidential. No economic information is shared with outside entities.

(3) Complete a Consultation Services Application, which requests relevant information about the producer's goals and farm or ranch (size, resources and location). The application form must be filled out and returned to allow appropriate evaluation. You may request an application form from the Noble Foundation (580.223.5810), and it will be mailed to you.

Application Follow-up

Following receipt of your completed Farm and Ranch Consultation Application and Goals Document, a consultation manager will contact you, usually by telephone, for a more in depth interview to initiate the consultation process. Please allow a few weeks for this step.

In this interview, the parties will discuss what type of consultation and/or other services would best serve the producer's needs and goals, and the Noble Foundation's services and objectives are outlined.

If it is determined, at the Noble Foundation's discretion, that an applicant or his or her farm/ranch operations would not be well served by the requirements of the consultation program or the provided services, the Noble Foundation may decline the applicant's request to enter the program.

Educational Events and Public Helpline

The Agricultural Division regularly hosts educational seminars and workshops that are open to the general public. For more information about upcoming programs, visit the division's events calendar.

In addition, the Agricultural Division offers a Helpline telephone (information) service (580.224.6500) that provides callers, inside and outside the 47-county service area, access to its agricultural specialists and specific expertise.